Stock No: 4841

A pair of small and rare Pietra Dura panels. Each finely made panel is a depiction of a flamboyant cavaliere in 16th century dress on green, white and black marble backgrounds. Pietra Dura is a term for the technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished coloured stones to create images. Lapis Lazuli was frequently used as seen here in the sleeves, cloak and feathers worn by the cavaliere. The art was developed during the Florentine Renaissance and was often called ‘painting in stone’. It is a most difficult skill to do well and requires expertise in the arts of sculpture, inlay, and mosaic.
Italian, circa 1910.

The panels are in their original gilded, wooden frames but unfortunately the gilding has been painted over in such a way as to make it very difficult to remove. Please see the last image, One solution would be to cover the paint with lacquer which would greatly improve their appearance. Photographs before restoration.

Link to: antique wall tapestries, panels and paintings